Ribbon flow waterfall for spas

A flat ribbon-shaped waterfall for a portable spa is caused to flow out of the top rim or top side of a spa. A narrow elongated spout forms the output end of a plenum chamber that has a water inlet. The plenum chamber is constructed to baffle surges in the inlet water flow. A light source is placed close to the mouth of the elongated spout to light the ribbon of water flowing from the spout in multi-color, if desired.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/816,505 filed Apr. 1, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,254,847 for a Ribbon Flow Waterfall for Spas.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to improvements in portable spas, and more particularly, pertains to new and improved waterfall features for portable spas.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the field of portable spas, it has been the practice to continually improve the spa experience by, not only increasing the number and variety of massaging jets available in the spa, but by also providing additional distractions that go beyond physical sensory stimulation to include audio stimulation, such as providing music to further enhance the spa experience. The present invention goes beyond providing stimulation for the sensory perceptions of touch and sound by providing visual distractions in the form of waterfalls flowing into the main body of water of the portable spa.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An elongated spout forms the output of a plenum chamber that is filled with water. Water flows into an input orifice that is greater in cross-section than the output spout. An elongated light source mounted near the mouth of the output spout lights up the ribbon-shaped water flow from the spout. The plenum chamber is formed to buffer the input flow so as to maintain a constant output flow. The elongated spout is located on or at the top rim of the spa so that a ribbon of water falls into the spa from the top of the spa. The shape of the spout is selected to provide an even, flat ribbon of water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exact nature of the present invention, as well as its objects and many advantages, will become readily apparent from consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a ribbon waterfall according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of a preferred embodiment of a ribbon waterfall apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the spout and plenum chamber of the waterfall of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the plenum chamber of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of FIG. 4 taken along the line 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of FIG. 5 taken along the line 6-6.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of the inlet structure of a plenum chamber of the waterfall according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of a preferred embodiment of the bezel according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the spout portion of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the spout showing an alternate preferred shape of the spout opening.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the intention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the important aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a waterfall feature 11 according to the present invention, designed to appeal to the visual senses of persons seated in the main body of water 22 of the portable spa container 20. A narrow elongated spout 13 is mounted in the top rim 15 of the portable spa 20. A bezel 21 smoothes the transition between the spout 13 and top rim 15. A ribbon-shaped flow of continuous water 17 is emitted in an arch from the spout 13 into the main body of water 22 in the portable spa container 20.

It is contemplated that a light source will light up the ribbon of water flow 17 in a variety of colors as desired. When the waterfall 17 hits the main body of water 22, light 19 carried by the waterfall is reflected in all directions.

The main components of the waterfall structure are shown in FIG. 2. The spout 13 has a mounting plate 25. The mounting plate is used to attach the waterfall structure to the top rim of the spa. The output end of plenum chamber 23 is attached to the spout 13. Once the spout 13 passes through the top rim of the portable spa and is attached to the rim material, a bezel 21 is mounted over the spa 13. A cutout notch 41 on the bezel makes room for a light source 43 mounted underneath the spout 13 (FIG. 9).

The inlet part of plenum chamber 23 is a separate inlet structure 29 that has a pipe connector 37 connected to a bottom plate 38 having an orifice 39. The bottom plate 38 is sized to fit within the bottom opening of plenum chamber 23. The orifice 39 is chosen so that it is larger in cross-section than the opening of spout 13.

Bottom plate 38 has a wall 31 around the perimeter. The walls slide into the inside of the plenum chamber 23. The longer sides of bottom plate 38 have a pair of extended walls 33 with grooves 35 at their upper perimeter. A plate 27 is dimensioned to fit within grooves 35. This places plate 27 some distance from and over the orifice 39 in bottom plate 38. The plate 27 acts to buffer and deflect water surges entering the plenum chamber 23 through orifice 39, causing the water to flow around buffer plate 27 over the lower side walls 31 into the remaining spaces of plenum chamber 23.

FIG. 3 illustrates a light source 43 located along the bottom of the spout. The light source 43 is thin and long and stretches almost the entire length of spout 13. It can be any number of light sources such as LED's or a row of fiber optics.

FIG. 7 illustrates the bottom inlet part of plenum chamber 23, and more specifically, the extended portions 33 along the longer sides of bottom plate 38. The extended portions 33 are selected to be at a level to most efficaciously cause any surging flow into the plenum chamber through pipe connector 37 to be subdued and thereby prevent pulsing in the waterfall emitting from the spout.

FIG. 4 illustrates the front view of the waterfall structure with the spout 13 extending past the mounting plate 25 with a slot 42 in mounting plate 25 for insertion of the light source 43 (FIG. 9).

FIG. 5 illustrates more clearly, in cross-section, the spout portion of the output of plenum chamber 23. The spout 13 is formed from the sides of plenum chamber 23 to create a narrow elongated channel 45 leading from the main chamber 46. The mounting plate 25 is attached to the spout and has a location ridge 47 at the top, and a slot 42 at its bottom with another location ridge 49 beneath.

FIG. 6 provides a clear cross-sectional view of the spout opening 45 and slot 42 mounted beneath the spout, location ridges 47 on top and 49 on the bottom.

FIG. 8 shows the bezel 21 with a cutout portion 41 that goes around the light source 43 that is placed into slot 42 of mounting plate 25.

FIG. 9 illustrates the use of fiber-optic bundle 53 to provide light to a light head 43 which is inserted into the slot 42 from the back side.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the spout 25 with an opening 57 in cross-section. The difference between the spout opening 57 of FIG. 10 and the spout opening 45 of FIG. 6 is the shape. As shown in FIG. 10, the distance between the lips 58 and 60 of the opening 57 at the symmetrical center of the opening is less than the distance between the lips 58 and 60 at the ends of the opening.

A preferred relationship which has been found to produce a smooth flat ribbon-like flow of water is a distance 59 of 0.130 inches at the ends of the lips, and a distance 61 of 0.058 inches at the center of the opening.

Claims

1. In combination with a spa having a container for holding water with a top rim, the improvement being a waterfall structure comprising:

a spout mounted in the top rim of the container, the spout having a narrow and elongated opening between a top lip and bottom lip, the elongated opening being narrower at a symmetrical center between the top lip and the bottom lip than at distal ends of the elongated opening;
a plenum chamber having walls, a water inlet and a water outlet, the outlet being connected to the spout, wherein the spout is formed from the walls of the plenum chamber to create a narrow elongated channel leading from the plenum chamber to the spout, wherein the water inlet is a separate part from the plenum chamber that fits into and is permanently fastened to the walls of the plenum chamber, wherein the water inlet further comprises a bottom plate sized to be received within the walls of the plenum chamber to form at least a portion of a bottom surface of the plenum chamber, the bottom plate defining an inlet orifice and having a water pipe connector extending therefrom, and a pair of extended walls extending from the bottom plate, wherein the water inlet further comprises a baffle plate mounted between the pair of extended walls a distance from and a distance over the inlet orifice thereby causing water flowing through the inlet orifice to strike the baffle plate and flow therearound; and
a mounting plate extending generally perpendicularly from the spout to attach the waterfall to the top rim of the container of the spa, wherein the mounting plate defines a slot disposed below the bottom lip of the spout and generally parallel to the spout, and a light source mounted within the slot of the mounting plate to inject light directly into the water flowing out of the spout.

2. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the water inlet of the plenum chamber is larger in cross-section than the water outlet.

3. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the water outlet of the plenum chamber is shaped to conform to the spout.

4. The waterfall of claim 1 further comprising a bezel shaped to fit over the spout and light source when mounted thereon.

5. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the light source is a flat fiber-optic array.

6. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the water outlet of the plenum chamber is integrally formed from outer walls of the plenum chamber.

7. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein a first distance between the top lip and bottom lip at the symmetrical center of the opening is about half of a second distance between the top lip and bottom lip at the distal ends of the opening.

8. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein a first distance between the top lip and bottom lip at the symmetrical center of the opening is about 0.058 inches and a second distance between the top lip and bottom lip at the distal ends of the opening is about 0.130 inches.

9. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the mounting plate further comprises at least one location ridge provided generally parallel to the spout.

10. The waterfall of claim 1 wherein the opening of the spout extends beyond the mounting plate.

Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4881280 November 21, 1989 Lesikar
4886210 December 12, 1989 Gaffney et al.
6170094 January 9, 2001 Weise et al.
6196471 March 6, 2001 Ruthenberg
6210568 April 3, 2001 Harder
6382520 May 7, 2002 Hones
6450418 September 17, 2002 Simpson et al.
Other references
  • Oreq Corporation product catalogue. Copyright 2001.
  • “Notification Concerning Transmittal of International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter1 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty)”; The International Bureau of WIPO; Aug. 14, 2008; 7 pages.
Patent History
Patent number: 7698754
Type: Grant
Filed: Jan 30, 2006
Date of Patent: Apr 20, 2010
Patent Publication Number: 20060117476
Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation (Vista, CA)
Inventor: Richard K. Kunkel (Murrieta, CA)
Primary Examiner: Khoa D Huynh
Attorney: Nirav D. Parikh
Application Number: 11/343,001